Russian Defense Director Accuses Members Of Ukrainian Nationalist Battalion Disguising As Civilians To Leave Mariupol

Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, Director of the Russian National Defense Management Center. (Twitter/@mod_russia)

JAKARTA - Russian military officials criticized the tactics used by Ukrainian nationalists, disguised as civilians to get out of Mariupol City, using humanitarian corridors.

Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, director of the Russian National Defense Management Center, said Kyiv officials ordered members of the nationalist battalion in Mariupol to leave the city, disguised as civilians, including using humanitarian corridors.

"In the context of official statements by Kyiv about its refusal to carry out humanitarian operations, and the militants to lay down their weapons, they hypocritically instructed the nationalist battalion to leave the city in small groups under the guise of civilians, dressed in civilian clothes," Mizintsev said, quoted from the statement. TASS March 22.

"Using any opportunity, including humanitarian corridors. And the bandits immediately began carrying out this order," he continued.

Mizintsev further revealed, on March 20, fighters from the Azov Battalion killed the parents of two children. Then, using these children as cover, attempted to go to Zaporozhe in the family's car.

"But they were identified and immediately detained by the Russian army. The children were rescued, they were given the necessary assistance," Mizintsev said.

Previously, Mizintsev accused nationalist groups of planning chemical attacks in some areas of Ukraine, if Russian troops entered the area.

"Nationalists have placed mines in the ammonia and chlorine storage facilities at the Sumykhimprom chemical plant in Sumy, to poison the inhabitants of the Sumy region if Russian troops enter the city," he said.

"In the settlement of Kotlyarovo, Nikolayev region, the militants of the nationalist unit planned a provocation with the use of toxic chemicals. For this purpose, they have placed containers with toxic chemicals in the high school building, which will explode when Russian troops approach the settlement," Mizintsev said.

Mizintsev added that this was done with the support of the United States and a number of European Union countries, which regard Ukraine as an instrument of anti-Russian policy.